Raft appliance.



M. F. BROWN.

RAFT APPLIANGE.

APPLIOAT-ION FILED PEB. 2. 1910.

972,054. v Patented 0G13. 4, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

'rus Mamas PETERS ca., WASHINGTON, n. c.

M. P. BRoWN.

RAFT APPLIANGE.

l APPLICATION FILED TBB. 2, 1910.

972,054. l Patented 00t.4,191o.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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FIC.

MICHAEL F. BROWN, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

RAF'I APPLIANCE.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 4, 1910.

Application led February 2, 1910. Serial N o. 541,533.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL F. BROWN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Raft Appliances; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in raft appliances, and moreparticularly to means for connecting the various booms employed forretaining the logs in a raft, and improved means for preventing the logsfrom escaping or jumping over the booms.

The object in view generically is the arrangement of improved means forholding the logs of rafts properly segregated but retained in proximity.

Another object in view is the arrangement in a rafting device, ofimproved removable members, commonly known as swifters, for holding thelogs of a plurality of rafts in an inclosure.

Another object of the invention is the arrangement in a logging device,of means for segregating the logs of a raft into sections, and means forholding the various sections in proper relation to each other.

A still further object of the invention is the arrangement in a loggingdevice of improved connecting members for connecting the sections of thelogging device together, and also various parts thereof.

With these and other objects in view the invention comprises certainnovel constructions, combinations, and arrangement of parts as will behereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a loggingraft formed according to the present invention. Fig. 2 is an enlargeddetail perspective view of a pair of booms, and a connecting chainembodying certain features of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of an eye-bolt, chain, and toggle embodyingcertain features of invention. Fig. A is a fragmentary view showing theends of the swifters and connecting means. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary viewshowing how the booms are formed and secured together.

In constructing a logging raft or device embodying the invention it isarranged to make an inclosure of booms or logs secured together with thesmall end of each succeeding log following the large end of thepreceding log. In arranging the logs in this manner securing means arearranged so as to cause the log following its preceding log or boom tobe offset or moved inward so that brush and the like in passing alongthe edge of the raft will not catch into the boom, and also thefollowing booms will not strike against piles and the like. Within thisinclosure or system of booms are positioned the respective logs of theraft. The logs of the raft are divided into sections surrounded by boomsconnected together so that the logs of the raft will be propelled at thesame time that the principal system of y booms is propelled, and will beheld in comparatively small sections so as to be easily manipulated andcontrolled. In order to readily connect some of the booms a chain with atoggle connected therewith is used, and also an eye-bolt. In otherinstances a hook is provided connected with a chain so that one end ofthe chain can be looped over a log and passed through a ring, and thehook end passed over an opposing log or llo'orm, and the hook passedover a suitable In order that this invention may be more clearlyunderstood, an embodiment of the same is shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in which 1 1 indicate the forward booms, and 2 2 the rearbooms. Two forward booms and two rear booms are Ishowin, but it will beevident that any number of booms can be used as desired for making theraft of any desired width.

3 and 4 indicate the side booms which may be of any desired number formaking the raft of any desired length. In arranging the side booms 3 andet the small ends are arranged to follow the large ends of the precedingbooms, so as to readily clear any obstacles in the channel, as piling,etc. In addition the small ends are caused to take a position nearer thecenter of the raft so as to permit the raft to pass obstacles in thechannel without striking the ends of the boom.

The respective booms are secured together by chains or cables 5, whichmay pass through suitable openings or holes in the booms, and may beheld therein by toggles, or may be secured to eye-bolts 6, as shown inFig. 3. The toggles used are preferably the pivotally mounted toggles,as shown in Fig. 3. In arranging the respective booms, the respectivechains may be placed on top of the booms, so as to be out of the waterbut preferably beneath the booms as appears in Fig. 5. Preferably thebooms are connected together and arranged as shown in Fig. 5, whichdiscloses how the ends of the booms are hewed for causing the precedingboom, or at least the end thereof, to sink deeper in the waterthan thesucceeding boom, whereby in passing obstacles the obstacle will notstrike the end of the succeeding boom.

Positioned within the system of booms formed of logs or individual booms1 1, 2 2 and 3 and L are a plurality of minor boom systems 8, 9, 10 and11. Any desired number of minor boom systems may be used according tothe size of the outer or principal boom system, and also according tothe size of the logs desired to be rafted. The minor boom systems areconnected by suitable chains similar to chains 5. The forward minor boomsystem is connected with boom 1 1.

The connecting means for the respect-ive minor boom systems are ordinarychains preferably having on their ends a key or cross bar for holdingthe chains in position. For connecting the front ends of the minor boomsystems to the forward booms 1 1, chains 12 (Fig. 2) are used, havingrings 13 and hook member 14. The chain is threaded through ring 13 afterthe chain has been passed around one of the booms, and then the chainispassed around the other boom and hooked over one of the links.

Connected with the forward booms 1 1 is a draft boom 22 to which a draftcable 23 is secured. Any desired propelling means may be secured todraft cable 23 for propelling or moving the raft along. If desired thecable 23 may be omitted and the raft simply permitted to drift with thecurrent, though ordinarily some power is provided for moving and guidingthe raft. The boom 22 is preferably connected with booms 1 1 by means ofa chain 6 having rings and a toggle, the toggle passing through boom 22and the chain encircling boom 1 1. The cross log 2d at the rear ispreferably not used for towing but only as a reinforcement to preventthe rafts from skewing sidewise. The cross log 24 is preferably fastenedclose up against the logs or booms 2 2 by means of eye-boltspassing-through logs 2 2 and a chain passing through a hole or aperturein log 24; connected with the eye-bolt, the chain having a togglethereon for holding the log in position.

In order to prevent the logs being rafted and inclosed by the variousboom systems from escaping or jumping over the booms, retaining members25 and 26 are so positioned as to lie against the top and across thelogs. The retaining members 25 and 26, commonly known as swifters, areconnected by chains and .eye-bolts similar to those shown in Fig. 5, tothe side booms 3 and 4. The swifters are arranged with the large endspositioned near the booms 3 and 4 and their small ends in proximity toeach other, though preferably not touching. A chain 27 connected withrings 28 and 29 holds the inner ends of members 25 and 26 fromseparating. Any desired number of these members or swifters 25 and 26may be used.

By the construction and arrangement of an outer or principal boom systemand a plurality of minor or inner boom systems connected together byieXible means, a complete device is provided for easily controllinglarge masses of logs and rafts. Also by the use of the retaining membersor swifters the logs are continuously caused to resist any tendency tomove over the retaining boom. It will also be observed that the iexibleconnections between the various booms provide an easy give or yieldingmeans for permitting a free motion of each boom in the water, and yet afirm retaining housing or inclosure is provided for the logs beingtransported. It will also be observed that one of the important featuresof the invention is the arrangement of the offsetting of the logs whichsucceed the leading log.

It will be noted that by the arrangement of the apertures in the logsand the connecting chains, the leading ends of the succeeding logs orbooms are offset or positioned well within the protection of thepreceding logs, and also the succeeding logs are`arranged to have theirends positioned higher out of the water than the preceding logs. In thisway the booms are protected against obstacles from beneath and obstaclesfrom the sides.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A logging raft comprising a system of loosely connected boomsarranged so that the preceding booms will form a clearance for thesucceeding booms, a plurality of minor boom systems arranged in saidfirst mentioned system and formed in sections, means for connecting saidsections to said first mentioned boom system and a pair of log retainingmembers connected with said first mentioned system and spanning certainof said minor systems for holding the logs in the same.

2. A logging raft comprising a system of booms flexible means forconnecting said said minor boom systems and means for 10f*booms,ap1nra1ityof minoi'l boom systems arexibly connecting theabutting ends of said ranged in said first mentioned system, flexiblespanning bars.

means for connecting said minor boom sys- In testimony whereof I aiiX mysignature 5 tems together, flexible means for connecting in presence oftWo Witnesses.

the forward minor systems to said rst men- MICHAEL F. BROWN.

toned system and a pair of spanning bars Witnesses:

loosely connected to the sides of the first Gr. WARD KEMP,

mentioned system and spanning certain of C. C. PHILLIPS.

